updated 05:41 pm EDT, Wed June 6, 2012

Developer tool allows Android tablets, iPad to test Metro touch UI

Splashtop has unveiled a new app aimed at helping developers build interfaces for the Windows 8 Metro interface on Android tablets and iPads. Win8 Metro Testbed ($25 in the App Store and Google Play) reproduces the Metro UI, and mirrors many of the capabilities of Microsoft's forthcoming operating system.

Win8 Metro Testbed implements all of the gesture interactions underlying the touch interface for Windows 8. Users can swipe to review the Charms menu, close apps, or run apps side-by-side. The app also reproduces the Semantic Zoom feature, allowing users to navigate the Metro file system by pinching and zooming. Win8 Metro Testbed is shown running apps and games live, though Splashtop does note latency issues in the app.

Splashtop touts the app as the only option for running Metro UI on a non-Windows tablet, though Parallels Desktop 7 largely duplicates the app's functionality on Mac desktops. Windows 8 will be running natively on tablets from an array of manufacturers when it launches in the fall.